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For several years, my readers have been asking for makeup guides for each of the 63 style types. I started doing the research necessary to create these guides in 2017, and I'm finally done!  Your makeup's color palette comes from your color season. But two women with the same color season won't apply makeup the same way to look their most beautiful. Have you ever wondered why certain makeup trends -- a matte lip, a cat eye, contoured cheeks -- just don't work for you, even when you know that the colors you're using harmonize with your skin? The reason is that the lines of your face, which determine your style type, harmonize with certain makeup looks and not others. Not everyone looks harmonious with fuller lips. Not everyone looks harmonious with contoured cheekbones. Not everyone looks harmonious with a smoky eye. Not everyone looks harmonious with delicate, plucked brows. Here are two pics of me in two different makeup looks. In both pics, I'm wearing Soft Autumn colors. But I think you'll agree that I'm lovelier in the pic on the right than the pic on the left.  My style type is Ethereal Natural, and the pic on the right shows me in an Ethereal Natural makeup look. The pic on the left is a look with elements of Classic, Romantic, and Dramatic -- all essences that are unimportant for me. On the right, my skin finish is less powdery and matte, my eyebrows are less intense, I'm not wearing foundation, my makeup's overall level of contrast is lower, and my overall impression is less made-up. These are all features of an Ethereal Natural makeup look. Now, if I were a Romantic-Dramatic-Classic, chances are I would look gorgeous in a more matte, more made-up, higher-contrast look. Angelina Jolie is a Romantic-Dramatic-Classic, and that kind of makeup look is gorgeous for her:  It's interesting to note that Jolie and I both have the same Soft Autumn color palette. Yet because the geometry of her face is Romantic, Dramatic, and Classic, her best makeup look is much more sexy, intense, and traditionally feminine than mine. My best makeup look combines Natural's no-makeup aesthetic with Ethereal's lightness and delicacy. The makeup guides are about 30 pages long. Here's what each guide includes:
 Since I expect a high volume of initial orders, please allow UP TO A WEEK for your makeup guide to be delivered by email. All guides will eventually be instant downloads; at that point, you won't have to wait. :-)
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Scarlett Johansson, Renee Zellweger, Cynthia Erivo, Florence Pugh -- what did you think of their Oscar looks? Here, I share my thoughts about their color and style choices.
I made a video!
Watch as I evaluate different outfits and talk through the process I use to decide whether they are appropriate for Gamine style blends. I'm looking forward to making more videos in the future!
An adult who seems always to have a youthful or childlike quality, regardless of age, likely has a strong dose of Ingenue or Gamine. Boyish Beauty
Big eyes, a large forehead, a small nose, and a round or square face all help to create an impression of youthfulness.
One way to think about the seven style types is to think about the words we use to describe the type of beauty each identity embodies. Which isn't to say Gamines aren't incredibly attractive. They are incredibly attractive. Women who have a "yang" or masculine quality to their beauty are no less attractive than their more "yin" counterparts. They only appear unlovely when they're placed in a clothing context that's more stereotypically feminine than they are.  Michelle Williams. The boyish, short hair is so much better. You can see the boyish quality of a Gamine in the following ways:
 Gwen Stefani
Which isn't to say that Gamines need little detail. They look great with a lot of detail in the clothing -- pockets, buttons, cuffs, etc. But the jewelry is best when it's minimal. A lot of jewelry reads as feminine, and feminine context around a Gamine will make her look masculine. The effect of clothing context on our apparent masculinity or femininity is analogous to the effect of color on our skin. The apparent color of your skin changes, for better or worse, depending on what color is next to it. That's because of simultaneous contrast. And the apparent qualities of your face and figure, including the apparent masculinity or femininity, change depending on the context that surrounds it. If almost everything in the frame reads as boyish, then the viewer mainly notices what's not boyish - and so the Gamine's feminine qualities actually stand out more. The more boyish the context, the more beautiful Gamines look. Surround them with traditionally female decoration like long locks, ruffles, and lavish jewelry, and they become less lovely.
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 It doesn't matter that Leonardo DiCaprio is 6 feet tall; he looks better in youthful styles because he has a youthful face. |  A long tie is clearly not as good for Leonardo Dicaprio as a cute little bowtie. That's because his face is cute. His height is irrelevant. |
Leonardo DiCaprio is 5'11". (Some sources say 6'.) But that baby face looks better in a bowtie than in a standard necktie.
Audrey Hepburn - Gamine despite being 5 foot 7.
Isn't it surprising to learn that Audrey Hepburn, practically the definition of Gamine, was 5' 7"? She looks little.
Big eyes, high foreheads, round heads, slender necks, and heads that look large relative to the size of the body are characteristics of children. So these features read as youthful.
Dress a person with these features in similarly youthful clothes, and it will look right.
So if you're petite, you might consider Gamine and Ingenue first. For some reason that I don't yet understand, petite people seem often to have Gamine or Ingenue facial features.
But don't assume Gamine (or Ingenue) based solely on small stature, and don't rule it out just because you're not petite.
But don't assume Gamine (or Ingenue) based solely on small stature, and don't rule it out just because you're not petite.
Classic or Gamine?
Both Classics and Gamines need well-tailored clothes. Classics look their best with very little detail, and Gamines look their best without a lot of feminine frill. How do we tell them apart?
For one, Classics literally need every hair in place, while Gamines can pull off a little tousle.
(Tousle suggests motion in the hair. Details that makes us think of movement -- such as zigzag lines, nautical themes, running shoes -- are generally good on Gamines. That comes from the boyish quality. For better or worse, when think of boys, we traditionally think of bodies in motion.)
For one, Classics literally need every hair in place, while Gamines can pull off a little tousle.
(Tousle suggests motion in the hair. Details that makes us think of movement -- such as zigzag lines, nautical themes, running shoes -- are generally good on Gamines. That comes from the boyish quality. For better or worse, when think of boys, we traditionally think of bodies in motion.)
Both Classics and Gamines look good in fitted, tailored pieces. But the overall Classic vibe is elegant and ladylike, while the overall Gamine vibe is spunky and playful. A Classic isn't her best in sneakers, rolled-up jeans and a striped sweater. A Gamine isn't great in a sweater set, pearls and high heels.
And Classics are particularly lovely in their palette's neutrals and understated colors, while Gamines are particularly lovely in highly contrasting color combinations from their palette. (Again, it's about an impression of movement. Neutrals feel still; contrasting colors feel energetic.)
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style ID Calculator! It's so affordable, you may as well!
A version of this post originally ran in May 2015.
And Classics are particularly lovely in their palette's neutrals and understated colors, while Gamines are particularly lovely in highly contrasting color combinations from their palette. (Again, it's about an impression of movement. Neutrals feel still; contrasting colors feel energetic.)
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style ID Calculator! It's so affordable, you may as well!
A version of this post originally ran in May 2015.
Over the last few weeks, I've talked about how to combine your color palette with your style type.
Because, although every color in your palette is flattering to your skin, your style type will affect how you combine colors to look your most beautiful.
Because, although every color in your palette is flattering to your skin, your style type will affect how you combine colors to look your most beautiful.
If you're strongly Gamine, which colors in your palette should you focus on?
Gamine's vibe is fun, playful, and high-energy.
Gamine's vibe is fun, playful, and high-energy.
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As a Gamine, aim to create unexpected combinations of your pallete's most vibrant colors. Colors that people would not normally expect to see together will look great on you. If your mom would have told you, "Those colors clash!", it's probably a Gamine color combination.
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Color-blocking reads as Gamine, as long as it it feels playful and fun. (If it feels aggressive and intimidating, it will read as Dramatic, not Gamine.)
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Your palette's version of primaries - - your reddest red, your yellowest yellow, and your bluest blue -- will also read as Gamine.
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This is true even if you're a season with a soft or muted palette; your "soft" yellows, reds, and blues look plenty vivid on your soft coloring! For example, Autumn "primaries" would read as Gamine on an Autumn woman, and pastel Summer "primaries" would read as Gamine on a Summer woman.
 Autumn "primaries." |  Summer "primaries." |
Are you a Gamine or a Gamine blend? How have you combined your season with your style type? Please share in the comments!
Not sure of your style type? Try the Style ID Calculator!
I didn't even think about separates before I knew my style type. But how you put separates together actually has a big effect on the impression you make.
Romantics, Ethereals, Classic, and Dramatics are each best in a head-to-toe look. If you think about it, this makes sense, because all four of these types are formal and grown-up in their own way: the Romantic is mature womanly sexiness, the Classic is a "ladylike" adult woman, the Dramatic is a powerful ruler, and the Ethereal is an immortal being. None of these pure types is youthful or casual enough to look her best in an obvious use of separates.
Romantics, Ethereals, Classic, and Dramatics are each best in a head-to-toe look. If you think about it, this makes sense, because all four of these types are formal and grown-up in their own way: the Romantic is mature womanly sexiness, the Classic is a "ladylike" adult woman, the Dramatic is a powerful ruler, and the Ethereal is an immortal being. None of these pure types is youthful or casual enough to look her best in an obvious use of separates.
 | Creating a head-to-toe look can seem difficult, because pretty much everything in the stores these days is separates. You'll occasionally have opportunities to purchase items as a set, but they can be hard to find. Often, the easiest way to create a head-to-toe look is to choose separates that are all the same color. When the color is a shocking hue, or pure white or pure black, this is an especially good look for Dramatics. |
| If you want to avoid the drama of a monochromatic look, you can also create a head-to-toe effect by repeating two main colors in different places. |  Two main colors repeated in different places in the outfit creates the impression that the garments were purchased as a set. |
Another easy way to do a head-to-toe look is to just wear a dress. Ethereals, Romantics, and Classics have a lot of great dress options.
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 Two fairly Ethereal separates, thrown together casually. | If you find it very difficult to create a head-to-toe look, the good news is that if even one of your essences is an essence that looks good in separates -- Natural, Ingenue, or Gamine -- you can bring in that essence through your use of separates. I'm an Ethereal Natural, and I tend to do this, because it's easy. I own a lot of very Ethereal separates, and when I throw them together casually, the effect reads as Natural. |
Speaking of which: the message a Natural sends with her use of separates is, "I own nothing but separates, and I basically just throw them together because that's how confident I am, but the effect is never weird, because I can't be bothered to put in enough effort to make it deliberately weird, because that's how casual I am."
| A Natural use of separates looks unplanned, but not attention-getting. If it were an attention-getting look, that would imply that a Natural cares what anyone thinks, and part of the Natural impression is the sense that she's not dressing for the viewer. |  A Natural: not dressing for the viewer! She's dressing for comfort, and she's not overthinking it. |
 You can tell an Ingenue is wearing separates, but you can also tell she's paired them carefully to look harmonious and pretty. | An Ingenue's use of separates says, "Because of my childlike quality, I own mostly separates, but I am careful to put them together in a way that is harmonious and lovely to the eye, because I want to look pretty and finished." |
A Gamine's use of separates says, "I deliberately combine separates no one else would dare to put together, because that's how fun and quirky I am. I want you to notice!"
 Gamine's use of separates says, "You bet I did this on purpose. I want to make you chuckle!" | Like Naturals, Gamines don't aim to carefully coordinate separates. But unlike a Natural, a Gamine looks like she's definitely dressing for the viewer: she wants to make you smile and laugh. So the use of separates looks simultaneously carefully planned and really unusual. |
If you're a blend of two or three types, as most women are, and you manifest Natural, Gamine, or Ingenue through your use of separates, you'll want to lean a bit more heavily on your other essence (or two) to balance the effect. So, for example, A Natural-Classic-Ingenue combining separates in a casual, Natural way would take extra care to bring in Classic and Ingenue in other aspects of her look.
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style ID Calculator!
A reader writes, "Your guides have been incredibly helpful to me. However, there is one part of your guides that confuses me. What exactly does it mean for a piece of clothing to be "constructed" or "unconstructed"?"
Great question!
Constructed garments have a defined shape that's not simply the shape of the body underneath the garment. You can't easily ball up a constructed garment in your hand; it wants to hold a shape.
Constructed garments have a defined shape that's not simply the shape of the body underneath the garment. You can't easily ball up a constructed garment in your hand; it wants to hold a shape.
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The way a garment is sewn can give it a defined shape. This is easier with heavy, stiff, or crisp fabrics.
Manufacturers also use lining, padding or interfacing to make garments have a defined shape.
Manufacturers also use lining, padding or interfacing to make garments have a defined shape.
Interfacing makes sections of garments more stiff.
Dramatics and Gamines are flattered by sharp-cornered squares and rectangles. These aren't the shapes of the human body, so Dramatics and Gamines usually need constructed garments to create those shapes.
| Ingenues are also flattered by some structure in their clothes, though their shapes will be more rounded. |  |
Romantics, Ethereals, and Naturals all look their best in unconstructed clothes. For Romantics, this means sexy draping that appears to hug the body. For Ethereals, this looks like floaty, trailing garments that seem about to take flight. For Naturals, this looks like garments that are supremely comfortable and unfussy.
 Romantic's lack of construction takes the form of draping that follows the shape of the body. |  Ethereal's lack of construction is elongated, floaty, and flowy. |  Natural's lack of construction is slouchy, roomy, and comfy. |
 | Classics are lovely with a few sharp corners, but they shouldn't overdo it. Classics represent the beauty of balance, moderation, and perfect proportion. This means they are gorgeous in clothes that fit them perfectly, with a lot of tailoring that's precise but not dramatic, and some draping that's feminine without feeling excessive. |  |
It's not as easy to find constructed clothes as it was 100 years ago. As a society, we've all mostly agreed to dress like Naturals most of the time. Which is great for us Naturals, but a challenge for everyone else.
Garments that are tailored into defined shapes are usually more expensive than unconstructed garments, because that kind of sewing is labor-intensive. If your style type calls for construction, you may choose to spend the money on those more expensive items. You might also save some money by focusing on clothes that are stiff not because of their tailoring but because they're made from stiffer fabrics.
If you're willing to buy second-hand, you'll find that a lot of vintage clothes are more structured than what you typically see in stores today.
Also, consider using spray starch to give your garments more stiffness! You don't hear much about it these days, because fashion is mostly so unconstructed, but clothing starch is still a thing.
Here are hairstyle ideas for the two-identity blends.
For each blend, the suggestions are jumping-off points. Use them as inspirations.
If you're a blend of three identities, try combining suggestions from the different two-ID blends that apply to you. For example, if you're a Romantic-Ethereal-Natural, take a look at suggestions for Romantic Ethereal, Romantic Natural, and Ethereal Natural.
Don't know your style identity? Try the Style ID Calculator!
For each blend, the suggestions are jumping-off points. Use them as inspirations.
If you're a blend of three identities, try combining suggestions from the different two-ID blends that apply to you. For example, if you're a Romantic-Ethereal-Natural, take a look at suggestions for Romantic Ethereal, Romantic Natural, and Ethereal Natural.
Don't know your style identity? Try the Style ID Calculator!
Romantic Ethereal: Aphrodite
Try:
Soft & flowing.
Asymmetry.
Fullness and height at the crown.
Long, luscious and full.
Side parts.
Low side pull-backs.
Touchable curls or waves.
Soft, sexy updos with lots of free curls.
 | Ethereal Dramatic: The Sorceress Try: Flowing but controlled. Dramatic in length. Intense. Low, sleek side pull-backs. Striking winged effects. Long blunt cuts. Frozen waves or cascades. Severe or sleek updos with side parts. |
| Ethereal Natural: The Earth Goddess. Try: Flowing & free. Low, wispy ponytails. Low side pull-backs. Tousled or braided updos. Loose, floaty braids. Hair that's more narrow than full. Fishtail braids. Tendrils. Diaphanous & tousled. Long, cascading layers. |  |
 | Ethereal Classic: The Delicate Sophisticate Try: Flowing but controlled. Elegantly wing-like. Face-framing. Symmetrical waves. Braided or "period" updos. Low, neat side pull-backs. Crown braids. A narrow hair silhouette. Neat, elegant braids. Neat bobs with some float or wisp. |
Ethereal Gamine: The Sprite.
Try:
Spunky, diaphanous, floaty, boyish, tousled.
Short and wispy.
Choppy waves.
Cute or witty "period" looks.
Playful, unexpected braids.
 | Romantic Gamine: The Firecracker. Try: Short but touchable. Asymmetry. Playful height at the crown. Side parts. Face-framing, with some tousle. Sexy and spunky. Full curls, waves, or playful ringlets. |
| Classic Ingenue: Nancy Drew. Try: Simple, neat bangs. Symmetry, always. Precise center parts. Precise, high side pull-backs. Neat-as-a-pin pigtails (low or medium-height). Longer simple, sweet bobs. Controlled curls. Barrettes. Modest, simple updos and buns. Elegant, modest floral accessories. Headbands. Face-framing. |  |
 | Dramatic Ingenue: The Childlike Czarina Try: Simple, sculptural curls. Modest and controlled, but striking. Dramatic bangs. Narrow profile. Sleek or striking low pigtails. Simple, sharp bobs. Sleek center or side parts. Sleek, high side pull-backs. Avant-garde accessories. Striking floral accessories. |
| Romantic Ingenue: The Nymphette. Try: Sweet, touchable, face-framing, styled, medium-long. Center parts with full, sexy curls or waves. Side parts with simpler, neater curls. Soft, sexy bangs. Crown bumps. Gentle, high side pull-backs. Sexy pigtails (high or low) or pigtail braids. Ribbons. Larger feminine accessories, perhaps with sparkle. |  |
 | Natural Ingenue: The Flirty Farmgirl Try: Relaxed, unstructured bangs. Messy low pigtails; loose pigtail braids. Simple ponytails with neat curls. Tendrils. Casual high side pull-backs. Center parts; tousled or mussed. Layers of sweet curls. Simple floral accessories, or simple ribbons. |
| Dramatic Classic: The Art Critic Try: Avant-garde, but neat. Face-framing and striking. Controlled. Dramatic, stiff updos. Geometric. Sculptural bobs and blunt cuts. Every hair in place. |  |
 | Gamine Ingenue: The Girlish Mod. Try: Spunky bangs. Short, sweet, tousled. Playful, short pigtails -- low or high. High side pull-backs, perhaps with barrettes. Cute floral accessories Center parts. Curls. Witty accessories. |
| Classic Gamine: The Prep Schooler. Try: Boyish, but neatly styled. Medium-short. Simple, neat updos with bangs. Neat, elegant pixies. Face-framing, with just a bit of tousle. |  |
 | Romantic Dramatic: The Femme Fatale Try: Dramatic in length or shape. Touchable, but sleek and intense. Exaggerated asymmetry. Side parts. Sleek, oversized updos with rounded shapes. Exaggerated height at the crown. Sexy and striking. Full, sculpted waves or curls. Full, wavy blunt cuts. |
| Romantic Classic: The Sexy Sophisticate. Try: Soft, face-framing. Medium-length. Sexy but restrained. Sideswept, curly updos. Height at the crown. Side parts. Full but neat. Soft, touchable bobs with curls or waves. Controlled. Rounded shapes. |  |
 | Natural Classic: The Prep. Try: Simple, neat, medium-length, relaxed, face-framing. Pulled back simply but not severely, perhaps with a little tousle. Simple, loose updos. Subtle layers. Simple ponytails, low or straight back. Simple, low-maintenance bobs with movement. |
| Dramatic Gamine: The Punk Rocker Try: Playfully geometric. Short and striking. Spunky high ponytails. Spikes. Piecey hair. |  |
 | Romantic Natural: The Babe Next Door. Try: Medium to long, but with face-framing layers. Waves or soft curls. Asymmetry. Side parts. Messy crown bumps. Touchable, uncontained, uncomplicated, free & easy, tousled and full. Sexy low ponytails with loose curls. Tendrils. |
| Natural Gamine: The Tomboy Try: Boyish and spunky. Layers. Shaggy. Shorter, messy ponies or pigtails. Short and tousled. Overgrown pixies. |  |
 | Dramatic Natural: The Amazon Queen Try: Shaggy, extreme, intense. Exaggerated layers. Dramatic ponytails. Big and wild. |
| Ethereal Ingenue: The Fairy. Try: Diaphanous; floaty. Longer hair. Narrow, not wide. High or low side pull-backs. Wispy bangs. Long, wispy, low pigtails or pigtail braids. Medium-length, gently cascading, sweet. Innocent "period" looks, such as crown braids. Center parts with curls or waves. Mystical floral accessories. |  |
This post first appeared in January of 2016.
Your palette seems inherently gentle and graceful. Yet your Dramatic or Gamine Style Identity calls for a bold use of color. Can you do that?
Sure you can!
Definitely wear your Light Spring colors.
But wear them in solid blocks, rather than in watercolor or ombre effects.
This would not be so good for a Dramatic or Gamine:
Sure you can!
Definitely wear your Light Spring colors.
But wear them in solid blocks, rather than in watercolor or ombre effects.
This would not be so good for a Dramatic or Gamine:
This use of Light Spring blue is excellent for an Ethereal blend, but not so fitting for a style type with a more aggressive energy.
A use of Light Spring color more like this , below, would be more appropriate for a Dramatic or Gamine:
A use of Light Spring color more like this , below, would be more appropriate for a Dramatic or Gamine:
The color is in solid blocks, not gently blended. It's still the Light Spring palette, but on a person with Light Spring skin, the effect will be bold.
Even better, consider doing head-to-toe charcoal, vanilla, or raspberry (Light Spring's versions of black, white, and red) to create a Dramatic effect. Or try unusual combinations of your palette's "primaries" and "secondaries": ocean blue with popsicle orange, butter yellow with grape purple, and so on.
Your seasonal coloring does play a small role in your style identity -- people with highly contrasting coloring tend to make a more intense visual impression, and people with very low-contrast coloring tend to make a more gentle physical impression.
But your coloring isn't determinative of your Style ID. Light and Soft seasons are definitely represented among Dramatic and Gamine style types.
Hope this helps!
:-)
First published November 2017
Even better, consider doing head-to-toe charcoal, vanilla, or raspberry (Light Spring's versions of black, white, and red) to create a Dramatic effect. Or try unusual combinations of your palette's "primaries" and "secondaries": ocean blue with popsicle orange, butter yellow with grape purple, and so on.
Your seasonal coloring does play a small role in your style identity -- people with highly contrasting coloring tend to make a more intense visual impression, and people with very low-contrast coloring tend to make a more gentle physical impression.
But your coloring isn't determinative of your Style ID. Light and Soft seasons are definitely represented among Dramatic and Gamine style types.
Hope this helps!
:-)
First published November 2017
I spend a LOT of time looking at outfits and answering the question, "What style types are represented here?"
For the last few years, the answer that comes up the most often is "Gamine."
Gamine style elements are having a moment in fashion.
Everywhere I look, I see cropped pants, skinny pants, cropped tops, cropped sleeves, higher waistlines, shorts, mini dresses, stripes, boyish hats, contrast collars and cuffs, pattern mixing, color blocking, and ankle boots. SO. MANY. ANKLE. BOOTS.
For the last few years, the answer that comes up the most often is "Gamine."
Gamine style elements are having a moment in fashion.
Everywhere I look, I see cropped pants, skinny pants, cropped tops, cropped sleeves, higher waistlines, shorts, mini dresses, stripes, boyish hats, contrast collars and cuffs, pattern mixing, color blocking, and ankle boots. SO. MANY. ANKLE. BOOTS.
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If you're a Gamine blend, this is great! You have a lot of options in the stores right now.
Classic and Ingenue blends can benefit too. Classics might find tailored Gamine pieces in more neutral (conservative) hues, and Ingenues won't have to hunt for shorter pant legs and sleeves.
It's Ethereals, Dramatics, and Naturals -- the style types defined by elongation -- who will find the fewest options among today's Gamine-influenced clothes.
Now, Naturals never struggle too much -- one can find loose, unstructured clothing almost anywhere these days, and it's been that way for about 40 years. But Ethereal and Dramatic looks are not easy to find in stores right now.
As an Ethereal Natural, I do most of my clothes shopping online. (Have you tried ThredUp? I've used them twice now, and I really like the results. Future blog post.) I also find awesome pieces in thrift stores.
Because of how we've been socialized, we all feel an urge to wear what's being promoted in stores and fashion magazines. But if you don't have Gamine features, Gamine clothes will not fully bring out your beauty.
Knowing your style type makes it easier to resist falling for fashion fads. If you're not sure of your type, try the Style ID Calculator, or consider a virtual analysis from me. :-)
Stripes can be Natural. They're especially likely to be Natural if they are irregular, or various in size, or if they read as relaxed, not aggressive.
Vertical stripes, which elongate the vertical line, are usually better than horizontal stripes (which are good for Gamines.)
Irregular stripes.
Irregular stripes.
These striped feel relaxed, mainly because the garment itself is unstructured.
Checks and plaids can be Natural if they read as something you would find on a fleece -- they should look farmer-ish, not preppy. (Preppy plaids are Classic.)
These checks feel country, not preppy.
This feels like a farmer plaid, not a preppy plaid.
Large, stylized, somewhat abstract nature motifs read as Natural, as long as they're not aggressive-looking (which would add Dramatic) or neatly repeating (which would add Classic).
Nature prints that are more photorealistic read as Gamine or Ingenue. (The youthful essences get more literal images.) Nature prints that feature flowers will automatically bring in Romantic (if they're larger and stylized) or Ingenue (if they're smaller and more realistic.)
Paisleys are often Natural, because they're stylized nature motifs that read as a little "tribal" (which is a word I don't love; what's a better word?)
Stylized nature patterns are often Natural, so that includes many paisleys.
A paisley that's very tiny or very detailed is less likely to read as Natural.
Prints with abstract geometrics that seem to be randomly distributed and are largeish in size can be Natural. Go for blunt-edged geometrics; sharp-edged geomtrics will read as Dramatic (if they're large) or Gamine (if they're small.)
An oversized, abstract, blunt-edged print. (Notice the stylized nature motifs mixed in too.)
Prints you find in textiles of indigenous peoples are often Natural. Again, the print is more likely to read as Natural if it's large and not incredibly detailed. A Natural print will not fee aggressive or high-energy.
Large shapes and a neutral color palette make this otherwise somewhat busy print read as rather Natural.
A print or pattern, by itself, adds a lot of detail to a look. And Natural style calls for a very low level of detail. So if you're a pure Natural and you're going for a print, keep your silhouette and garments extra simple, and your other details very, very plain.
Women who are pure Natural and Natural blends, what prints and patterns have you found work for you?
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style Identity Calculator or consider a Virtual Analysis.
Women who are pure Natural and Natural blends, what prints and patterns have you found work for you?
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style Identity Calculator or consider a Virtual Analysis.
(Originally published August 2016.)
This is a revolutionary new way of thinking about style.
All of the advice you've received, all of your life, has been about how to dress your body. "If you're petite, avoid long pants. If you're curvy, emphasize your waist. "
As far as I can tell, every other style system advises you to dress primarily for your body.
But your body isn't what people are mainly looking at.
They spend the vast majority of their time looking at your face.
And dressing for your body at the expense of your face means you end up looking all wrong.
Let me offer you several examples to demonstrate this phenomenon.
Here's Ellie Kemper:
This is a revolutionary new way of thinking about style.
All of the advice you've received, all of your life, has been about how to dress your body. "If you're petite, avoid long pants. If you're curvy, emphasize your waist. "
As far as I can tell, every other style system advises you to dress primarily for your body.
But your body isn't what people are mainly looking at.
They spend the vast majority of their time looking at your face.
And dressing for your body at the expense of your face means you end up looking all wrong.
Let me offer you several examples to demonstrate this phenomenon.
Here's Ellie Kemper:
You might know her from "The Office" or "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt." She's adorbs, right?
If you're guessing that she has a lot of Gamine and a lot of Ingenue (and maybe some Classic?), I'd agree with you. Those stripes are cute on her. (The palette is a separate issue, but never mind.)
Another pic of her looking fantastic:
If you're guessing that she has a lot of Gamine and a lot of Ingenue (and maybe some Classic?), I'd agree with you. Those stripes are cute on her. (The palette is a separate issue, but never mind.)
Another pic of her looking fantastic:
The headband! The bangs! The cardigan! The tiny earrings! The Nancy Drew hair! So, so right for her. So much Gamine and Ingenue. (And maybe some Classic.)
Here, tiny ruffles, tiny necklace, yoke emphasis -- so Ingenue, and so good:
Here, tiny ruffles, tiny necklace, yoke emphasis -- so Ingenue, and so good:
And here: adorable, face-framing curls, small geometric print, simple, round neckline, high waist -- again, lots of Gamine and Ingenue, very good:
Just a few more images of her looking awesome with lots of Gamine and Ingenue (and some Classic):
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But let's imagine that Ellie Kemper's going to get style advice that considers her body as a significant factor.
I don't know if you noticed, but Kemper actually has a super-curvy, very Romantic body.:
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Most style systems will assign Ellie Kemper a style type that dresses her for her curvy body.
But that would be all wrong.
See how uncomfortable, how not-herself, this Gamine Ingenue (or Classic-Gamine-Ingenue) looks in Romantic styles:
But that would be all wrong.
See how uncomfortable, how not-herself, this Gamine Ingenue (or Classic-Gamine-Ingenue) looks in Romantic styles:
| A plunging, cleavage-revealing neckline, which is great on so many women, looks inappropriate on Kemper. |  |
 | In a drapy, clingy, figure-emphasizing dress, she looks lost, as if she's a little girl playing dress-up. |
| Again, this very draped neckline and slinky fabric is much too mature for her. It feels awkward. |  |
 | Also too, too mature. The very detailed, plunging, bust-emphasizing neckline and sexy, cinched waist are completely at odds with her Gamine-Ingenue face. |
Thank goodness Kemper (or her stylist) usually understand that she needs to dress for her face, not her body.
Here, Kemper's waist is obscured and her bust is unemphasized. And it's sooo much better!
(Jenna Fischer, also from "The Office," is another example of a woman with a Romantic body but a very youthful face. Like Kemper, Fischer looks all wrong in overtly sexy clothes.
By contrast, Mindy Kaling of "The Office" has quite a bit of Gamine, like Kemper and Fischer do -- but she also has enough sexy Romantic in her face to totally pull off figure-emphasizing clothes. )
"If you got it, flaunt it" is not a thing. Let it go.
Only emphasize your curvy body if it also harmonizes with your face.
Dress for your face.
Other celebrity examples of dressing primarily for one's face, not one's body:
- Jane Krakowski of "30 Rock" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
A rather Ingenue face (tiny chin, high forehead, big eyes.)
Is she better in Ingenue or Natural?
Ingenue bows, ruffles, puff sleeves, cap sleeves, high waist, feminine hair, midi length skirt: so good.
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Natural t-shirts, layers, separates, shaggy hair, undefined neckline, geometric shapes -- not great.
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Jane Krakowski is lovelier when she dresses her face, not her body.
I'm not saying to totally disregard your body. There are individual tweaks your body may call for that are consistent with a style your face doesn't manifest.
For example, Jane Krakowski is flattered by open necklines; they elongate her rather short neck.
That's consistent with Natural, not with Ingenue.
But her open necklines are best when they're adorned with ruffles or bows. True Natural necklines are wrong for her.
I'm not saying to totally disregard your body. There are individual tweaks your body may call for that are consistent with a style your face doesn't manifest.
For example, Jane Krakowski is flattered by open necklines; they elongate her rather short neck.
That's consistent with Natural, not with Ingenue.
But her open necklines are best when they're adorned with ruffles or bows. True Natural necklines are wrong for her.
Sweet Ingenue/Ethereal (and Natural?) face, |  |
extremely tall, mostly Dramatic body.
Christie is so tall -- 6'3" -- and relatively narrow, most style systems would require her to dress as a Dramatic, or a Dramatic/Natural blend.
But that's really wrong for her.
Christie is so tall -- 6'3" -- and relatively narrow, most style systems would require her to dress as a Dramatic, or a Dramatic/Natural blend.
But that's really wrong for her.
Mostly Dramatic, and so not great:
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Much more feminine, and so much better for her:
 |   |  |
Even more celebrity examples:
To sum up:
1. Identify your style identity based primarily on your face.
2. Make a few tweaks in the direction of a different style identity if you know your body calls for it.
Dress for your face!
- Despite her height, Taylor Swift is fantastic in Gamine , Ingenue and Classic
- Despite his height, Leonardo DiCaprio can pull off dapper Gamine looks because of his Gamine baby face
- Brigitte Nielsen's gorgeous Dramatic face makes her best in similarly Dramatic clothes, despite her very curvy body
- The same goes for Jamie Lee Curtis: her Dramatic face makes sexy Romantic looks seem wrong for her , even though her curves are pronounced
To sum up:
1. Identify your style identity based primarily on your face.
2. Make a few tweaks in the direction of a different style identity if you know your body calls for it.
Dress for your face!
We women are frequently told that, once we are past a certain age, there are childlike things (like miniskirts and polka dots and bows) that we just can't pull off anymore.
But the truth is, some of us could never pull off these items. And some of us continue to look fabulous in them well into old age.
That's because childlike elements suit women with a lot of Gamine essence (youthful, masculine beauty) or a lot of Ingenue essence (youthful, feminine beauty). And there are plenty of older women who are strongly Ingenue, or Gamine, or both.
Betty White and Jane Goodall are two examples I use a lot, but also see Audrey Hepburn in her old age, Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Allen, and Roseanne Barr. Some people never stop looking adorable.
But the truth is, some of us could never pull off these items. And some of us continue to look fabulous in them well into old age.
That's because childlike elements suit women with a lot of Gamine essence (youthful, masculine beauty) or a lot of Ingenue essence (youthful, feminine beauty). And there are plenty of older women who are strongly Ingenue, or Gamine, or both.
Betty White and Jane Goodall are two examples I use a lot, but also see Audrey Hepburn in her old age, Whoopi Goldberg, Debbie Allen, and Roseanne Barr. Some people never stop looking adorable.
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One of my favorite things is seeing older women killing it in Gamine and Ingenue styles. It comes across as incredibly confident because it's obvious that these women really see themselves. They look in the mirror and know what they look like, and embrace it by coordinating their style choices with their natural geometry.
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Don't let the fashion industry tell you what to think on this issue. Be guided by what you actually look like.
If you're strongly Ethereal, Natural, Dramatic, Romantic, and/or Classic, you'll probably want to avoid traditionally childlike fashions -- even if you're still a teen. (I'm an Ethereal Natural, and even as a child I wasn't flattered by polka dots or bows or cutesy patterns.)
But if you're strongly Gamine, you can feel confident in booties, funky eyeglass frames, tights, miniskirts, bright colors, playful jewelry, and everything else whimsical and funky. And if you're strongly Ingenue, don't hesitate to sport ringlets, tiny floral prints, peplums, ruffles, Mary Janes, babydoll silhouettes, and everything else girlish and sweet.
Not sure what your Style ID is? Figure it out yourself with the Style Identity Calculator, or invest in a Virtual Analysis.
How's that for a click-baity title, ha ha?
(Seriously though, I might be the only person alive who prefers long and dry over short and grabby. I am wholly a nerd.)
At any rate, here's what I mean: In my Style Identity system, when I say that a physical characteristic reads as womanly, or manly, or mature, or childlike, that's generally because that (average) physical difference exists in real life.
We are all unconsciously aware of the visual signifiers of masculinity and femininity, of maturity and youth. We make instantaneous judgments about other people's age and masculinity/femininity based on visual cues we're not even aware that we are processing.
Here are some examples of what I mean.
(Seriously though, I might be the only person alive who prefers long and dry over short and grabby. I am wholly a nerd.)
At any rate, here's what I mean: In my Style Identity system, when I say that a physical characteristic reads as womanly, or manly, or mature, or childlike, that's generally because that (average) physical difference exists in real life.
We are all unconsciously aware of the visual signifiers of masculinity and femininity, of maturity and youth. We make instantaneous judgments about other people's age and masculinity/femininity based on visual cues we're not even aware that we are processing.
Here are some examples of what I mean.
- The distance between the upper lip and the nose lengthens as we age. Additionally, this distance is greater in men than in women. So a short distance here, especially accompanied with quite visible top teeth, tends to create a youthful and feminine -- in other words, an Ingenue-- impression.
Notice that the top face, with the longer lip-to-nose distance and the hidden top teeth, appears more mature and androgynous than the bottom face.
- Lip fullness peaks in adolescence, and women's lips are on average fuller than men's. Plumper or puffier lips tend to read Romantic, because Romantic embodies the fully mature, "pubertal" (I love that word!) feminine essence. Thinner lips, by contrast, tend to read as Natural.
- Men's foreheads, on average, appear shorter than women's (because they are less vertical, and because men on average have lower hairlines than women). So short foreheads tend to read as Natural.
- Chin clefts are more common in men than in women. The presence of a chin cleft can increase the overall Natural or Gamine impression of a face.
Notice how the eyes on the bottom read as subtly more youthful? They have limbal rings.
- Men tend to have wider noses than women, so a wide nose tends to read as Natural or Gamine, while a narrow nose tends to read as Romantic or Ingenue.
* * * * *
You may notice that I didn't mention Ethereal, Dramatic, or Classic in this article.
Classics are easy: Imagine that you averaged all male features and all female features. Beauty in a female Classic represents a face that's slightly to the feminine side of that perfect average, and beauty in a male Classic represents a point that's slight to the male side. In Classic men and women both, nothing's noticeably big, or small, or sharp, or round, or high, or low, or full, or thin, or wide, or narrow. See more about that beauty here.
As for Ethereals and Dramatics, their beauty derives from archetypes that aren't based in human physical reality. That's a long post, though, so I'll save it for next week. :-)
The Style Identity Calculator asks you to compare your face to many, many pictures of clothes, and to notice whether or not those clothes flatter your face. Here are some tips to help you make that determination.
- Use a Happy, Forward-Facing Head Shot
When I analyze other people, I find that the type of picture used affects the results quite a bit. Over time, I've found I get the most accurate results with a happy face. I think this is because our best clothes complement our authentic selves, and our authentic selves are happy selves. "Happy face" doesn't have to mean an ear-to-ear grin, although it may; I suggest using the smile that you feel most flatters you.
It's important to use a photo of yourself looking directly into the camera. Most of us don't find this our favorite type of picture; we prefer ourselves at an angle. (I think that's because it narrows our jawline.) But a photo of a face at an angle distorts the dimensions of the face. A head-on photo reveals what you actually look like, and will give the most accurate results.
And do use a photo, not a mirror. Selfies are more trustworthy than a mirror; for some reason, it's much easier to objectively evaluate a frozen image of ourselves.
- Try to See Yourself Objectively
I hate to be yet another voice telling women not to trust their instincts! We get so much of that, don't we? Yet, for the sake of truthfulness, I have to say that many of us don't have an unerring instinct for what looks good on us. I suspect that most of us are drawn to color and style analysis because we realize we often aren't objective about ourselves.
Really seeing oneself is a challenge, absolutely. When you're able to do it, you're in a state of mind where you're viewing yourself rather dispassionately, as a visual image you're responding to on an aesthetic level, but not on a personal level, or with value judgments.
- Your Body Can Tell You When You're Seeing Beauty
The aesthetic reaction you're listening for inside yourself is a sense of liking or not-liking, attraction or lack of attraction. I personally sense this feeling in my chest: something in there warms and lifts when I'm seeing visual harmony.
To feel this reaction, you might try this: put your picture next to one garment that you're absolutely certain complements you. In another screen, put your picture next to a garment that you're certain is awful for you. Then flip back and forth. As you flip back and forth, pay attention to what changes inside you. You should notice a switch that goes on and off, or a feeling that flows and ebbs. *That's* the feeling you should have when you're seeing yourself next to your best clothes.
I also make a habit, if I'm feeling stuck, of going away from a picture for a day or so, then coming back to it. Seeing a picture with fresh eyes can help me notice my aesthetic reaction.
:-)
- Use a Happy, Forward-Facing Head Shot
When I analyze other people, I find that the type of picture used affects the results quite a bit. Over time, I've found I get the most accurate results with a happy face. I think this is because our best clothes complement our authentic selves, and our authentic selves are happy selves. "Happy face" doesn't have to mean an ear-to-ear grin, although it may; I suggest using the smile that you feel most flatters you.
It's important to use a photo of yourself looking directly into the camera. Most of us don't find this our favorite type of picture; we prefer ourselves at an angle. (I think that's because it narrows our jawline.) But a photo of a face at an angle distorts the dimensions of the face. A head-on photo reveals what you actually look like, and will give the most accurate results.
And do use a photo, not a mirror. Selfies are more trustworthy than a mirror; for some reason, it's much easier to objectively evaluate a frozen image of ourselves.
- Try to See Yourself Objectively
I hate to be yet another voice telling women not to trust their instincts! We get so much of that, don't we? Yet, for the sake of truthfulness, I have to say that many of us don't have an unerring instinct for what looks good on us. I suspect that most of us are drawn to color and style analysis because we realize we often aren't objective about ourselves.
Really seeing oneself is a challenge, absolutely. When you're able to do it, you're in a state of mind where you're viewing yourself rather dispassionately, as a visual image you're responding to on an aesthetic level, but not on a personal level, or with value judgments.
- Your Body Can Tell You When You're Seeing Beauty
The aesthetic reaction you're listening for inside yourself is a sense of liking or not-liking, attraction or lack of attraction. I personally sense this feeling in my chest: something in there warms and lifts when I'm seeing visual harmony.
To feel this reaction, you might try this: put your picture next to one garment that you're absolutely certain complements you. In another screen, put your picture next to a garment that you're certain is awful for you. Then flip back and forth. As you flip back and forth, pay attention to what changes inside you. You should notice a switch that goes on and off, or a feeling that flows and ebbs. *That's* the feeling you should have when you're seeing yourself next to your best clothes.
I also make a habit, if I'm feeling stuck, of going away from a picture for a day or so, then coming back to it. Seeing a picture with fresh eyes can help me notice my aesthetic reaction.
:-)
If you're a Bright Spring or a Bright Winter, you've probably been advised to go for super-shiny finishes and sparkly jewelry.
But if your style identity consists only of Natural, Dramatic, and/or Gamine, you know that these masculine essences ask for matte finishes. (Sparkly and glittery finishes read as feminine.)
How do you reconcile these two realities?
Bright seasons need, above all, an overall impression of brightness and high contrast. Blingy jewelry is of course one way to achieve that, but it's not the only way – – otherwise Bright season men, who generally very very little jewelry, would never be able to fully manifest their Bright selves! Right?
You can stick with matte and enamel finishes in your jewelry and still look amazingly Bright by focusing on value contrast (light-dark contrast) and color contrast in your clothes and accessories.
Here are some examples of women and men in Bright-looking ensembles with little or no shiny jewelry. I hope they inspire you!
But if your style identity consists only of Natural, Dramatic, and/or Gamine, you know that these masculine essences ask for matte finishes. (Sparkly and glittery finishes read as feminine.)
How do you reconcile these two realities?
Bright seasons need, above all, an overall impression of brightness and high contrast. Blingy jewelry is of course one way to achieve that, but it's not the only way – – otherwise Bright season men, who generally very very little jewelry, would never be able to fully manifest their Bright selves! Right?
You can stick with matte and enamel finishes in your jewelry and still look amazingly Bright by focusing on value contrast (light-dark contrast) and color contrast in your clothes and accessories.
Here are some examples of women and men in Bright-looking ensembles with little or no shiny jewelry. I hope they inspire you!
(...inspired by a client who could not relate to "spunky"...)
"Spunky" isn't relatable for all Gamine-influenced women. Yes, Gamine is inherently youthful, but "spunky" may sound almost condescending to a grown woman.
How about "mettlesome" -- "full of spirit and courage"? I sure like that one.
"Spirited" is good too, IMO -- it gets at Gamine's energy.
How about "mettlesome" -- "full of spirit and courage"? I sure like that one.
"Spirited" is good too, IMO -- it gets at Gamine's energy.
"Brisk," I like too, as perhaps a more dignified but still accurate Gamine descriptor.
How about "spanking" as an adjective? Perhaps a bit silly, but so, so funny. It makes me laugh and smile, which is actually the effect a Gamine look will often have on the viewer. Gamine's witty, quirky style brings a smile.
How about "spanking" as an adjective? Perhaps a bit silly, but so, so funny. It makes me laugh and smile, which is actually the effect a Gamine look will often have on the viewer. Gamine's witty, quirky style brings a smile.
"Offbeat" is great. "Kinky?" Hey, if it works for you, use it -- I can see it applying to a Romantic-Dramatic-Gamine blend. :-)
Gamine is definitely edgy -- not in an intimidating way, as Dramatic is, but in a playful way.
Gamine is definitely edgy -- not in an intimidating way, as Dramatic is, but in a playful way.
Gamine is playful. We all have a playful side, don't we? If you're a Gamine blend, find the playfulness inside you and express it visually through your Gamine style choices. Your idea of playfulness might be kittenish, or sportive, or wicked, or arch, or even devilish. Find the word that works for you, that focuses your mind and helps you shop.
Not sure of your style identity? Try the Style Identity Calculator.
Not sure of your style identity? Try the Style Identity Calculator.
So you're a Natural Gamine, a "Tomboy." But that's not your personality at all! Is your style ID all wrong?
Naw. In the Truth is Beauty system, personality isn't correlated at all with style identity.
Which isn't to say you can't dress like your personality -- if that's what floats your boat, do it!
But if you want to dress in the way that best visually flatters your natural physical form, be guided by your visual self only. Let who you really are be a delightful, additional layer that complements your surface beauty.
I'm a tomboy in my soul. But I don't look like a tomboy, and I wouldn't be flattered by most tomboy-looking styles. "Tomboy" as an archetype for a style identity is about appearance only, as are all of the archetypes.
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style Identity Calculator!
Naw. In the Truth is Beauty system, personality isn't correlated at all with style identity.
Which isn't to say you can't dress like your personality -- if that's what floats your boat, do it!
But if you want to dress in the way that best visually flatters your natural physical form, be guided by your visual self only. Let who you really are be a delightful, additional layer that complements your surface beauty.
I'm a tomboy in my soul. But I don't look like a tomboy, and I wouldn't be flattered by most tomboy-looking styles. "Tomboy" as an archetype for a style identity is about appearance only, as are all of the archetypes.
If you're not sure of your style type, try the Style Identity Calculator!
Gamine and Ingenue are the two style essences that embody youthful beauty. If you are often taken for much younger than you are, you likely have a strong dose of one of these essences. But which one?
- A Gamine often looks adorable with a cheeky or wicked grin (like Ginnifer Goodwin), while an Ingenue looks lovely with an innocent, full smile (like Lupita Nyong'o).
 Gamine's cheeky grin. |  Ingenue's sweet, sincere smile. |
- Gamines look gorgeous with very short hair, while Ingenues look beautiful with longer hair -- especially when it' has some curl.
Emma Watson surely has a lot of Gamine. Short, boyish hair is so, so good on her.
Laura Linney, by contrast, looks so much more like herself with long hair. She's certainly youthful-looking, and her youthfulness is Ingenue, not Gamine.
- It's easy to see a Gamine woman passing as a little boy, with the right hair and clothes. Ingenues can't do that.
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Clockwise from top left: Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman, Milla Jovovich, and (of course!) Maisie Williams all sell it as boys. Google these women, and you'll see they're flattered by Gamine styles.
Keira Knightley and Angelina Jolie, by contrast, couldn't really pass as boys:
Keira Knightley and Angelina Jolie, by contrast, couldn't really pass as boys:
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(Although in each of their cases, I think it's both the lack of Gamine and the presence of Romantic that makes them fail this test. I don't think either one has much, if any, Ingenue either. That's mature beauty, there.)
I hope this helps those of you with youthful beauty sort yourselves out!
:-)
Have you tried the Style Identity Calculator?
I hope this helps those of you with youthful beauty sort yourselves out!
:-)
Have you tried the Style Identity Calculator?
It can be hard to know which Style Identity category a given outfit falls into. Here are some unexpected questions you can ask yourself to help you narrow it down.
"Could I do a walking tour in this?"
The essence of Natural style is relaxation, freedom, and uninhibited movement. If an outfit is something you could wear for a walking tour of a hilly European city, it probably has a lot of Natural. Clothes you could comfortably take a nap in are also usually Natural.
"Could I do a walking tour in this?"
The essence of Natural style is relaxation, freedom, and uninhibited movement. If an outfit is something you could wear for a walking tour of a hilly European city, it probably has a lot of Natural. Clothes you could comfortably take a nap in are also usually Natural.
"Do I have an irresistible urge to touch this?"
Romantic fabrics often beg to be touched. This absolutely relates to the fact that Romantic style is the embodiment of feminine sexuality. If you can't wait to run your fingers across a fabric, chances are it's part of a Romantic ensemble.
Romantic fabrics often beg to be touched. This absolutely relates to the fact that Romantic style is the embodiment of feminine sexuality. If you can't wait to run your fingers across a fabric, chances are it's part of a Romantic ensemble.
"Does this scare me a little?"
Dramatic ensembles are avant-garde, outside the norm -- and we humans are naturally intimidated by stuff that's outside the norm. If an outfit makes you feel like taking a step backward, it likely has a strong Dramatic influence.
Dramatic ensembles are avant-garde, outside the norm -- and we humans are naturally intimidated by stuff that's outside the norm. If an outfit makes you feel like taking a step backward, it likely has a strong Dramatic influence.
"Can I imagine this on a girl in a Norman Rockwell painting?"
Ingenue style is an archetype of traditional girlishness. Almost anything that's Ingenue looks as if it emerged from a Norman Rockwell painting -- or from the closet of Sandy in "Grease." (Before her makeover at the end, LOL!)
Ingenue style is an archetype of traditional girlishness. Almost anything that's Ingenue looks as if it emerged from a Norman Rockwell painting -- or from the closet of Sandy in "Grease." (Before her makeover at the end, LOL!)
"Could a little boy wear this?"
Gamine style is boyish. If an ensemble looks like something a little boy could conceivably wear to school without raising eyebrows, it probably has a lot of Gamine.
Gamine style is boyish. If an ensemble looks like something a little boy could conceivably wear to school without raising eyebrows, it probably has a lot of Gamine.
"In a movie, would someone ascend into heaven wearing this outfit?"
That may sound ridiculous, but Ethereal styles make the wearer look as if she can take flight.
That may sound ridiculous, but Ethereal styles make the wearer look as if she can take flight.
"Would I wear this to my first day at my Wall Street job? (Or to the boss's barbecue the following weekend?)"
Whether formal or casual, Classic ensembles always look conservative and rich. In a Classic outfit, you'd never be embarrassed to run into the C.E.O. of your company. There's never anything attention-seeking, objectionable, or out of place in a Classic look. You're above reproach.
Whether formal or casual, Classic ensembles always look conservative and rich. In a Classic outfit, you'd never be embarrassed to run into the C.E.O. of your company. There's never anything attention-seeking, objectionable, or out of place in a Classic look. You're above reproach.
Not sure of your style identity? Try the Style Identity Calculator, or get a Virtual Analysis.
If your Style Identity consists solely of Natural Dramatic, and/or Gamine, and you've purchased your What Not To Wear guide, you've probably seen that your skirt no-no section is really long.
If you think about it, it makes sense -- all three of these essences are masculine, and, in our culture, skirts are iconically feminine garments.
So what skirts do you get to wear?
What I'm going to say next may sound weird, but it's really good advice to understand which skirts will look best on you:
Anything skirt-like that a man could pull off will probably work for you.
All around the world, throughout history and continuing today, men do wear skirt-like garments -- and they make them work!
If you think about it, it makes sense -- all three of these essences are masculine, and, in our culture, skirts are iconically feminine garments.
So what skirts do you get to wear?
What I'm going to say next may sound weird, but it's really good advice to understand which skirts will look best on you:
Anything skirt-like that a man could pull off will probably work for you.
All around the world, throughout history and continuing today, men do wear skirt-like garments -- and they make them work!
Dramatic, Natural, and Gamine women, men's skirt shapes are our skirt shapes.
Now, I know that this may be a difficult idea for some of us to accept, because we want to feel pretty, and we are invested in the idea that pretty = feminine.
But it's my goal to destigmatize "masculinity" for women, so that we can accurately acknowledge those features in ourselves.
In style analysis, see, "masculine" and "feminine" are not two discrete groups at opposite poles of a binary.
Instead, there are "masculine" features and "feminine" features.
Many, but not all, men have predominantly "masculine" features.
Many, but not all, women have predominantly "feminine" features.
Most of us have some of both. And we look awesome!
Check out models: the most gorgeous female models often have a lot of masculinity in their features, and the most gorgeous male models often have a lot of femininity.
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If you're a strongly Natural, Dramatic, or Gamine woman, you have masculine elements in your appearance. Own it and love it! :-)
- - - - - - - - - -
Anyway... for us women with a lot of Natural, Dramatic, or Gamine, the skirts that complement "masculine" features are the skirts that will look great on us.
- - - - - - - - - -
Anyway... for us women with a lot of Natural, Dramatic, or Gamine, the skirts that complement "masculine" features are the skirts that will look great on us.
So, what features define "men's" skirts?
Masculine skirts are almost always very straight, sharp-cornered, and simple.
Masculine skirts are almost always very straight, sharp-cornered, and simple.
Masculine skirts are usually very long, which fits wiith the fact that Dramatic and Natural are elongated essences. They can occasionally be very short, and very short skirts work for both Naturals and Gamines.
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The outline of a masculine skirt will always resemble a rectangle, square, or trapezoid.
If there is draping, it's elongated and subtle. If there are gathers, they are similarly subtle -- there's never a bouffant effect at the hips. And if there are pleats, they are large and sharp, like kilt pleats.
If there is draping, it's elongated and subtle. If there are gathers, they are similarly subtle -- there's never a bouffant effect at the hips. And if there are pleats, they are large and sharp, like kilt pleats.
Masculine skirts are typically low in detail.
It seems clear to me that humans all over the earth independently arrived at the same conclusion: straight lines and minimalism flatter masculine features. Interesting, isn't it? I believe this aesthetic response is hard-wired.
It seems clear to me that humans all over the earth independently arrived at the same conclusion: straight lines and minimalism flatter masculine features. Interesting, isn't it? I believe this aesthetic response is hard-wired.
Not sure of your style identity? Try the Style Identity Calculator, or consider a virtual analysis.
Over the years, so many of you have asked for shopping guides for each of the 63 Style Identities.
I have been working on them for a long time.
Finally, I am ready to offer them to you.
Each of these multi-page guide tells you which specific items you should look for when you shop.
It includes sections for wardrobe essentials such as tops, pants, skirts, dresses, sweaters, and shoes.
It also includes sections for special items such as hats, bags, jewelry, and swimwear.
In addition, I describe what you should look for in fit, fabrics, waist treatment, prints, shapes, and use of color.
It's comprehensive!
I will be sending these out beginning November 1st.
I'm offering them for $24.99.
But if you pre-order today, you'll get yours for $19.99.
I'm so excited to finally offer a tool that provides visual examples of how to wear your Style Identity!
The Style Identity Calculator helped you figure out your Style Identity.
But it can be difficult to know how to translate that Style ID into an ensemble each morning.
The new Visual Style Guides help solve that problem.
Each guide shows three different women dressed as your Style Identity. Annotations explain each element of the ensemble.
The Style Identity Calculator helped you figure out your Style Identity.
But it can be difficult to know how to translate that Style ID into an ensemble each morning.
The new Visual Style Guides help solve that problem.
Each guide shows three different women dressed as your Style Identity. Annotations explain each element of the ensemble.
Detail of the Ethereal Dramatic guide.
The guide is a one-page PDF, so you can print it and hang it in your dressing area, and also pull it up on your phone when you're shopping.
You deserve this!
(A thoughtful and affordable holiday gift idea: Analyze your loved ones with the Style Identity Calculator, and then surprise them with a Visual Style Guide.)
You deserve this!
(A thoughtful and affordable holiday gift idea: Analyze your loved ones with the Style Identity Calculator, and then surprise them with a Visual Style Guide.)
Update:
I've given copies of the tool to about a hundred people. I'm not giving away any more at this point; I need to take a day or two to read all of the excellent feedback I've received and use it to improve the tool.
I know a lot of people still want it! The good news is, I currently intend to offer it at a price point that most of you will find very reasonable.
Stay tuned!
I have been attempting to flesh out definable archetypes for three-way style identities.
Initially, I thought it would be impossible. But I'm actually finding it very doable.
For example, I'm thinking of Romantic-Ethereal-Classic as "Elegant Aphrodite."
Other examples of three-way combo archetypes in progress:
Romantic-Natural-Classic = "Alluring L.L. Bean."
Dramatic-Gamine-Ingenue = "Girlish Punk Rocker."
Classic-Gamine-Ingenue = "Darling Prep Schooler, a.k.a. Cher from 'Clueless.' "
My Pinterest boards for each three-way combo are still secret, but I aim to make them public soon. When I do, I'll add info about the trifold combos to this site.
In total, we'll have 63 style identity options:
7 pure essences + 21 doubles + 35 triples.
Do you have ideas about particular three-essence archetypes? Share them in the comments!
Edited to add:
I've made all of the above-mentioned Pinterest boards public. You can see them here:
https://www.pinterest.com/coloranalysis/
Initially, I thought it would be impossible. But I'm actually finding it very doable.
For example, I'm thinking of Romantic-Ethereal-Classic as "Elegant Aphrodite."
Other examples of three-way combo archetypes in progress:
Romantic-Natural-Classic = "Alluring L.L. Bean."
Dramatic-Gamine-Ingenue = "Girlish Punk Rocker."
Classic-Gamine-Ingenue = "Darling Prep Schooler, a.k.a. Cher from 'Clueless.' "
My Pinterest boards for each three-way combo are still secret, but I aim to make them public soon. When I do, I'll add info about the trifold combos to this site.
In total, we'll have 63 style identity options:
7 pure essences + 21 doubles + 35 triples.
Do you have ideas about particular three-essence archetypes? Share them in the comments!
Edited to add:
I've made all of the above-mentioned Pinterest boards public. You can see them here:
https://www.pinterest.com/coloranalysis/
About Me...
I'm passionate about helping people become their most authentic and beautiful selves.
I'm a Soft Autumn and an Ethereal Natural. Find out your color season and style type!
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